It is common in various medical procedures for tubes to be used to carry fluids to, or from, the body of a patient. For example, the use of endotracheal tubes to effect artificial ventilation of a patient's lungs is a common medical procedure, and various catheterization procedures involve the use of medical tubes to carry fluid to, or from, a patient. For many such procedures it is desirable, and in certain circumstances necessary, for the position of the medical tube to be stabilized. For example, inadvertent movement of an endotracheal tube can result in inadvertent removal of the tube from the body of the patient and/or discomfort to the patient. Because of the need to prevent inadvertent movement of medical tubes while in use, various tube holding devices have been designed to maintain the position of medical tubes. Many such devices have utilized securing straps which encircle a portion of the body of the patient to maintain the position of the holding device, with the holding device, in turn, engaging and maintaining the position of the medical tube. Various tube holding devices utilizing securing straps are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,042,477; 5,009,227; 4,836,200; 4,774,944; 4,744,358; 4,671,787; 4,617,017; 4,569,348; 4,548,200; 4,489,723; 4,367,735; 4,331,144; 4,249,529; 4,088,136; 4,018,221; and 3,927,676. However, such holding devices are prone to inadvertent slippage on the surface of the patient's body, particularly where the position of the tube and tube holder are such that the strap of the holding device must engage a convex surface, such as, for example, the back of the patient's head. Of course, slippage of the securing strap can result in a failure of the holding device to maintain the position of the medical tube, and may be the direct cause of movement of the tube.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medical tube holding device and an associated securing strap which efficiently maintain the position of one or more medical tubes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a medical tube holding device and an associated securing strap which can be utilized to secure medical tubes at various locations proximate the body of a patient.
Yet another object of the present invention to provide a securing strap for a medical tube holding device which is not prone to slippage, even when the securing strap engages a convex body surface.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a medical tube holding device and an associated securing strap which are easy to use and which are durable yet inexpensive to manufacture.